St. Benedict C.S.S., 50 Saginaw Pkwy, Cambridge, ON N1R 5W1 January 18, 2012 · Volume 4, Issue 11

Administrative

TABLE OFCONTENTS

AdministrativeAcademicsClubs & AthleticsStudent ActivitiesOther newsUpcoming events

The BENN newsletter is a pub li ­ca tion of St. Benedict CSS. It isdistributed every secondWednesday during the schoolyear using the WCDSB News ­wire service. Any questions orcomments pertaining to thispubli ca tion can be sent to theeditor Anton Milardovic or theschool's principal Dan Witt.

BENN STAFFMr. Anton MilardovicMrs. Sophia AdachMrs. Jennifer JacksonMrs. Nada Offak

Mr. James Rodrigue Mrs. Laura Varriano­Lane

NEXT ISSUEFebruary 8, 2012

Note fromAdministrationWINTER IS FINALLY HERE!And with the arrival of the cold and snow comes thepossibility of bus cancellations and school closures. OurSchool Board does a good job of informing the local mediaearly in the morning to ensure you know about cancellationsand closures with ample time to adjust.

On the day prior to a potential snow day, students shouldtake home materials that they may need in the event of aschool closure. This is especially important as studentsprepare for their final evaluations and complete final projects.

In terms of school closures, bus cancellations do not meanthe school is closed. Students should make every effort tosafely come to school. Teachers are in classrooms andworking on preparations for final evaluations, and learningcontinues. Students should not use bus cancellations as areason to stay home; this may be a valuable opportunity toget some one­on­one assistance from teachers in advance ofthe end of the semester.

Please listen to one of the local radio stations in themorning when the weather makes a turn for the worse, orvisit the WCDSB website—the Delays/Cancellations buttonin the top right corner of the screen will be your officialannouncement on the state of buses and schools.

Good luck to students as they prepare for finalevaluations!

Final Examination ScheduleThursday, January 268:21 to 9:37: Period 2 class9:42 to 10:58: Period 1 class or 76 min. Final Evaluation11:03 to 12:10: Lunch12:20 to 2:20: Period 1 two hour Final Evaluation or Credit Rescue (if required)2:30: Bus Pickup

Friday, January 278:21 to 9:37: Period 3 or 4 class9:42 to 10:58: Period 2 class or 76 min. Final Evaluation11:03 to 12:10: Lunch12:20 to 2:20: Period 2 two hour Final Evaluation or Credit Rescue (if required)2:30: Bus Pickup

Monday, January 308:21 to 9:37: Period 5 class9:42 to 10:58: Period 3 or 4 class or 76 min. Final Evaluation11:03 to 12:10: Lunch12:20 to 2:20: Period 3 or 4 two hour Final Evaluation or Credit Rescue (if required)2:30: Bus Pickup

Tuesday, January 318:30 to 9:46 Period 5 76 min. Final Evaluation8:30 to 10:30: Period 1 two hour Final Evaluation11:03 to 12:10: Lunch11:00 to 1:00: Period 5 Credit Rescue (if required)10:40: Bus Pickup

Wednesday, February 18:30 to 10:30: Credit Rescue as arranged by teacher and studentNo buses

NOTE: ALL STUDENTS ARE TO BE IN FULL UNIFORM DURING FINAL EVALUATION ANDCREDIT RESCUE CLASSES

The Christmas season is fading in ourmemories, but its impact remains. Besidesthe gifts that we continue to appreciate anduse, we are also left with the incarnation ofChrist. Jesus is God made real in our world.We incarnated the love of God for the worldas we filled 39 baskets for Cambridgefamilies struggling financially and 53 Xmasstockings of school supplies for children inKenya.

We continue the incarnation as wedonate funds to complete a hospital water

develop severe diarrhea and withoutimmediate treatment become dehydrated,malnourished and in the worst cases, die.Our charity/mission collection on Thursdaywill be used to combat cholera in Haiti.

Each month we emphasize one of theCatholic virtues. Charity is the virtue forJanuary. The virtue of charity is not the loveof things. Charity is a love for God. Thatlove is expressed in a confident faith in theexistence of God and a hope that isconvinced that a better world awaits. As we

Tickets are also available in the Main Office.

SAFE SCHOOLS TEAMBY MRS. G. LEUSINK

We believe that a safe school is one of the most important factors in studentachievement. If a student feels safe and has a sense a belonging, then, they canaccomplish more at school. They are not afraid to participate in class or in the schoolcommunity and are willing to help others.

At St. Benedict's, our safe schools initiative is linked with our transition plan. When studentsenter a new school, they need to feel welcomed and become a part of the community in a shorttime. Our LINK crew team supports this idea and works together with staff and students toensure all students have a good start so that they can make good decisions in their educationaljourney.

Our Safe Schools team is comprised of the LINK crew staff (Amy Healy, Wendy Schuster,Paul Riso, John Curtis, Karla Arkell, Glenda Leusink), Sara Beyerle, Leonard Bumbacco and ourparent representative is Jamilla Ivits. If you would like more information on any of the LINKinitiatives, please contact contact Glenda Leusink.

NEWS FROM THE CHAPLAINBY MR. B. REMPEL

system in Haiti. One result of the 2010earthquake in Haiti is the most devastatingcholera outbreak in modern history. Over500,000 people have become ill and morethan 7000 have died. People with cholera

exercise charity, we love God in this lifeand long for eternity when that love can befully expressed and fully realized.

NEWS FROM THE GUIDANCE OFFICEBY MRS. P. KLASSEN

GRADE 8 PARENT EVENINGOur Grade 8 Parent Night will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2012 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.Please pass this along to any neighbours in your community that have a student who is scheduledto begin high school in September, 2012. All Grade 8 students, regardless of where they areattending school currently, are welcome to join our community in September. Grade 8 studentswho currently attend one of our feeder schools have visited our school this past week and will beprovided with registration information from their current grade 8 teacher. Grade 8 students fromoutside of our system may pick up registration packages from the guidance office at any time.Your help in promoting our school to those in our community is greatly appreciated!

ARE YOU PLANNING TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE?Grade 12 students who are planning to apply to college for the 2012­2013 academic year arereminded that the application deadline is quickly approaching. Please note the following:

College applications are due February 1, 2012. Students need their OEN number (found on allreport cards) to set up an account for application.Apply early and avoid the stress of last minute on­line delays. The OCAS site becomesoverloaded as the deadlines approaches and delays are common.Complete your Community Service Hours as soon as possible. Completing Community ServiceHours is a graduation requirement and your acceptance into a program could be delayed if youdo not have this requirement completed.Information regarding college programs can be found at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

COURSE CHANGES FOR SECOND SEMESTERThe month of January is a great time for students who are considering a course change forsecond semester to see their guidance counsellor to discuss this. All timetable changes must beapproved by a parent or guardian and please remember that we do not accommodate lunchchanges or teacher requests. We appreciate your support in encouraging your sons and daughtersto follow protocol.

Attention All Grade Nines!!DO YOU LOVE COOKIES!?! HOW ABOUT SOME

CHOCOLATE!?! NEED SOME HELP GETTING READYFOR YOUR FIRST SET OF HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS!?!

Link Crew is proud to present its annual COOKIES 'n' CRAM event this Thursdayin the cafeteria from 6pm­8pm. The cost is free ­ just bring your studying stuffand Link Crew will gladly help get you set up for exams!! Hope to see you there!

BEYOND BENNY'SBY MRS. N. OFFAK

MATH:Canadian National Math League ContestAnnual contest with questions ranging fromstraightforward to challengingTuesday, February 14, 2012 ­ see website for detailshttp://www.themathleague.comSponsored by the University of Windsor

Centre for Education in Math & Computing ContestGrade 9 (Pascal), Grade 10 (Cayley), Grade 11 (Fermat)Thursday, February 23, 2012 ­ see website for detailshttp://www.cemc.uwaterloo.caSponsored by the University of Waterloo

Math CirclesFree weekly enrichment activitiesFebruary 8th ­ April 4, 2012 ­ 6:30pm ­ 8:30pmhttp://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/events/ma...Sponsored by the University of Waterloo

Think About Math ConferenceA conference for Grade 9 GirlsApply online: February 2012Conference dates: Two held in May 2012http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/events/tam.htmlSponsored by the University of Waterloo

LANGUAGE & LITERACY:Jessamay Stursberg Poetry ContestGrades 7­9 & Grades 10­12Contest Deadline: January 2012http://www.youngpoets.ca/(follow "Markets & Contests" link for many more youthwriting and publishing opportunities!)Sponsored by League of Canadian Poets

Legion Public Speaking ConferenceStudents may choose their own topic for the address.Grade 7­9 & Grades 10­12January 2012 ­ see website for detailshttp://www.on.legion.ca/youth/ps.aspSponsored by the Canadian Legion

Essay Writing ContestSubmission deadline: February 15, 2012 ­ see websitefor detailshttp://www.poeticpower.com/Contests.htmlSponsored by Creative Communication

FRENCH LANGUAGEThe French Essay ContestTwo categories are French as a second language andFrench as a first languageSubmission Deadline: January 2012

Academics

ENRICHINGTHE LIVES OFSTUDENTSBY MRS. D. WITTMANN

LOOKING TOIMPROVE YOURWRITING? READ!READING is the best way toimprove your writing, as thewritten word serves as the model.Enter the world of enriched storyand style elements, literarydevices, imagery, and figurativelanguage.Try reading as a writer:Ideas: How does the writerreveal the main idea? What typesof details does the writer use?

Organization: What techniquesdoes the writer use forsequencing? How does the writercontrol pacing?

Voice: How does the writer putpersonality into the piece?

Word Choice: What techniquesdoes the author use to make theword choice more specific, morememorable, and more effective?

Sentence Fluency: What kinds ofsentence construction does thewriter use?

Conventions: How does thewriter use conventions to makethe writing easy to read and moremeaningful?

VISIT: Read Like A Reader­Writer(PDF)

CRUNCHED FORTIME? READSHORT STORIES!

http://french­future.org/en/Sponsored by French for the Future

MEDIA & TECHNOLOGYCanadian Computing CompetitionAn opportunity for students to test their ability indesigning, understanding and implementing algorithms.Registration Deadline: February 14, 2012Event Date: February 28, 2012http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/computing.htmlSponsored by the University of Waterloo

Seminar in Computer Science for Young WomenA unique opportunity designed to ignite enthusiasm forcomputer science in interested female students acrossCanada.Registration Deadline: Jan/Feb 2012Event: May & June 2012http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/events/csgi...Sponsored by Centre for Education in Mathematics andComputing at the University of Waterloo

SCIENCE:Physical Sciences & MacFor grade 10 and 11 chemistry and physics studentsRegistration Deadline: February 2012Event Date: April 2012http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/macsci/outreach/chem­chembio/physical­sciencesmac­activities.htmlSponsored by McMaster University

Catalyst ­ Engaging Women in EngineeringAn overnight conference for Grade 11 girls to experienceengineering and what it is like to be a student here!Participate in a number of hands­on workshops, meetfemale students in engineering, compete in a designcompetition and experience life in residence! Spots arelimited to 50 students.Application Deadline: March 15, 2012Event Date: May 4 to 6, 2012http://waterloocatalyst.ca/grade­11­girls/Sponsored by the University of Waterloo

Engineering Science QuestSubmissions Year RoundRegister onlinehttp://www.esq.uwaterloo.ca/Sponsored by the University of Waterloo

Brain BeeIn this competition, grade 9­12 students in Waterlooregion answer questions about the brain andneuroscience. 100 spots available.Registration: January 2012http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~brainbee/i...Sponsored by the University of Waterloo

Computer Science Girls RockA unique opportunity designed to ignite enthusiasm forcomputer science in interested female students acrossCanada.Registration Deadline: Jan/Feb 2012

Story: "The Minister's Black Veil"Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne(1804­1864)Hawthorne may have beeninspired by a true event. Aclergyman named Joseph Moodyof York, Maine, nicknamed"Handkerchief Moody",accidentally killed a friend whenhe was a young man and wore ablack veil from the man's funeraluntil his own death.

Story: "The Cask of Amontillado"Author: Edgar Allan Poe (1809­1849)The story is set in a namelessItalian city in an unspecified year(possibly sometime during the18th century) and concerns thedeadly revenge taken by thenarrator on a friend who heclaims has insulted him. Likeseveral of Poe's stories, and inkeeping with the 19th­centuryfascination with the subject, thenarrative revolves around aperson being buried alive.

Story: "The Most DangerousGame"Author: Richard Connell (1893­1949)Features a big­game hunter fromNew York, who falls off a yachtand swims to an isolated island inthe Caribbean, and is hunted by aRussian aristocrat. The story is aninversion of the big­game huntingsafaris in Africa and SouthAmerica that were fashionableamong wealthy Americans in the1920s.

VISIT:http://www.classicshorts.com/

WATERLOOCATHOLICSKILLS

Event: May & June 2012http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/events/csgi...Sponsored by Centre for Education in Mathematics andComputing at the University of Waterloo

THE ARTS:Public "Art Talks"Check website for class and talk listingshttp://www.kwag.ca/en/exhibitions/ArtTa...Sponsored by the K­W Art Gallery

Art Exhibits and ProgramsCheck website for program listingshttp://www.theclayandglass.caSponsored by Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery

Arts & Culture Venues & Events in Waterloo RegionCheck website for program listingshttp://www.explorewaterlooregion.com/a...Sponsored by Waterloo Region Tourism

Wilfrid Laurier Music WorkshopsCheck website for program listingshttps://www.webaccess.wlu.ca/page.php...Sponsored by Wilfrid Laurier University MusicDepartment

OTHER:Katimavikhttp://www.katimavik.orgStudents aged 17 to 21 work in teams on communityprojects in six month themed programs. This volunteerexperience develops leadership, improves understandingof environmental issues and tackles stimulating projects.Application Deadline: Applications are now beingaccepted*Programs run from July to December 2012Sponsored by the Government of Canada

Medicine Youth Summer Programhttp://www.ysp.utoronto.ca/medicineGrades 10­12A 1­4 week residential summer camp programimmerses students in lectures and hands­on experiencesas a medical student.Application Deadline: End of January 2012

Law Youth Summer Programhttp://www.ysp.utoronto.ca/lawGrades 10­12A 1­4 week residential summer camp programimmerses students in law, legal thinking and advocacy.Application Deadline: End of January 2012

Laurier Enriched Academic Programhttp://www.wlu.ca/leapSummer camp for gifted/highly able students in grades1­9. Saturday morning programs and summer camp.January­March, 2012 & Summer 2012Registration information on the website.

COMPETITIONSBY MRS. L. O'NEILL

The Waterloo Catholic SkillsCompetitions are a great wayto develop your skills, learnmore about your field ofinterest and gain someexperience in an industry.These 1 Day competitions testyour knowledge and skills bycreating, building, designing orfixing a project in your area ofinterest. Whether you'reinterested in Graphic Design,Carpentry, Culinary Arts,Welding or Animation, there'ssomething for almost anyone!

Click here to see all of theavailble competitions this year.

The Waterloo Catholic SkillsCompetitions will take placeduring the week of March 26­30.First, second and third placewinners will receive gold, silverand bronze medals for theircompetitions and are required toattend an award ceremony. Allgold medal winners of thesecompetitions advance to competeat a qualifying competition orprovincially at the OntarioTechnological Skills Competitions(OTSC).

The Ontario TechnologicalSkills Competitions are held atRIM Park in Waterloo on April 30to May 2, 2012. Visitwww.skillsontario.com for moreinformation.

For more information talk toone of your teachers.

For more information on these EnrichmentOpportunities, please contact Mrs. N. Offak

Midget Boys BasketballSaints 43, St. David 15

Resurrection 28, Saints 27 Saints 36, Resurrection 19 Saints 48, St. Mary's 29

Junior Boys BasketballSt. Mary's 51, Saints 14Saints 63, Woodland 20 St. David 46, Saints 35

Senior Boys BasketballSt. Mary's 61, Saints 41Resurrection 56, Saints 38 Saints 51, St. David 20

Clubs and Athletics

Saints Invitational aSLAM DUNK!BY MR. J. VALE

St. Benedict welcomed 32 teams from across Ontarioduring the weekend of January 13­14 for the 24th AnnualSaints Invitational. This year's tournament once again drewin some elite teams from across the province which madefor an exciting weekend of basketball for both players andspectators.

The St. Benedict Saints had a terrific run to the tournament'sChampionship Quarterfinals. With an energetic crowd on handFriday afternoon, the Saints opened the tournament with a toughmatchup against a very sizeable opponent in North Park(Brantford). After getting down early, the Saints clawed backand were able to force overtime with a last second three pointer

Junior Girls VolleyballSt. Mary's 3, Saints 0 Woodland 3, Saints 0St. David 3, Saints 0

Senior Girls VolleyballSt. Mary's 3, Saints 1 Saints 3, Woodland 1St. David 3, Saints 2

STAY UP TO DATE WITHDISTRICT 8 SPORTSNow receive sports updates in your email or onyour mobile device!

The new District 8 website now allows you to signup themselves for nightly e­mail updates. You canselect the school (or schools) you want to follow, andall the sports results will be sent to your email address.

The service is free. Sign up by going tohttp://district8.ca/admin/emailSignUp.php.

by standout forward Kueth Geng. With the home fans cheeringthem on, the Saints were able to complete the comeback with a46­43 victory.

The win set up a second round game with a fiesty squadfrom Eastwood Collegiate (Kitchener). This game was a trueroller coaster affair as there were several lead changes over thecourse of the game. In the end, the leadership and toughness ofpoint guard Santo Dak led the Saints to another win, 52­44.

District 8 powerhouse St. Mary's Eagles were the next teamin the Saints' path. The Saints began the game matching the Eagles shot for shot and once againwere poised for a major upset. With 8 minutes to go, the teams were tied 37­37, however, theEagles went on a 14­2 run and eventually pulled away for a 57­50 victory.

Overall, the Saints had an inspired weekend of basketball and hope to carry some of thismomentum into the next part of their league play.

Congratulations to St. Basil's (Sault. Ste. Marie) for winning this year's ConsolationChampionship and Notre Dame (Burlington) for being crowned this year's tournament Champions.

JUNIOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALLBY MISS A. KREUGER

The junior girls volleyball team faced St. David's on Tuesday December 20th and competed well.The Unfortunately, the girls came up short and lost in three straight sets.

Last Tuesday the girls played their first game of the new year against Woodland Christian.The girls put forth a good effort but were defeated 3 sets to none.

On Monday the girls played St. Mary's. Despite their best efforts, they lost 3­0.Come out to support our girls today as they take on Pere Rene.

VARSITY GIRLSHOCKEYBY MS. A. HANLEY

The girls varsity hockey teambattled hard on Tuesday December20th against Huron Heights.Despite the girls best efforts Huronwas victorious. Honorable mentiongoes to Kelly Melo who scored theonly Saints goal of the game.

VARSITY BOYS HOCKEYSAINTS STRUGGLE AFTER PROMISING STARTBY MR. N. O'CONNOR

After a promising 3 and 0 start to the season, the Varsity Boys Hockey team is now on a sixgame losing streak. The Saints are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs if they do not securepoints in their three remaining season games against Cameron Heights, Preston HS and GrandRiver.

The Saints took part in the North American High School Hockey Prospects Showcase inKingston on December 18th and 19th, 2011. They competed against three hockey prep. schoolsfrom Quebec, completing the tournament with one tie and two losses. The boys were transportedin style by Bill, a former St. Benedict student and Saint for life.

Upcoming games:January 19th at 2:00pm vs Cameron Heights at Hespeler Arena

MIDGET BOYS BASKETBALLPLAYOFFSSt Mary's HS, Thursday, January 19

Semi­finals:(1st) St. Benedict's vs (4th) St. David's at 3:30 pm(2nd) Resurrection vs (3rd) St. Mary's at 4:30

Finals:Bronze Game @ 6:00Gold vs. Silver @ 7:00

Come on out and cheer on your boys midgetbasketball team!

February 8th at 2:00pm vs Preston at Preston ArenaFebruary 9th at 3:15pm vs Grand River at Kiwanis Arena

MIDGET BOYS BASKETBALLBY MRS. L. EDWARDS

Our Midget Boys Basketball Team travelled to Resurrection where they had hoped tocontinue their winning streak.

They were confident and scored quickly gaining control of the court to receive an uncontestedwin with a score of 43 ­ 15 against St. David's Celtics.

Our game against Resurrection required focus and patience. The talent on the Phoenix Teamwas an even match to our Saints. Our boys played a very organized first half half and outplayedResurrection to established a substantial lead going into half time. Unfortunately, we had somedifficulty with our shots at the beginning of the second half, and Rez took advantage of theopportunity to close the gap. We played point for point, but Rez took a one point lead 27 ­ 28,with a buzzer beater shot.

Last week the team met Rez on home court, and it was exciting! After losing their previousgame to Rez by 1 point, the boys walked onto the court determined to make a change. Theyscored the first basket of the game and that set the tone for the game. They were confident andorganized. They took smart shots and utilized each other on the court. The Saints went into halftime with an 18 point lead. In the second half, Rez out played us and out scored us, but theywere unable to close the gap. They finished the game 36 ­ 19.

In the second game of that night,the Saints took on St. Mary's, but ourboys were tired. They had a hard timerallying as a team and Mary's took asmall lead. With the desire to advanceto first place, the Saints slowly pulled ittogether. They changed their focus andbegan to play smart, going into halftime 33 ­ 18. Although they struggledwith their court play, the Saints wereable to continue with a healthy lead andfinished the game 48 ­ 29.

The double win moved St.Benedict's Midget Boys into first place!They will now play in the playoffstomorrow afternoon at St. Mary's HighSchool, where one school will becrowned league champion.

SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALLBY MR. K. FRATARCANGELI

The Senior Boys Basketball team took on a solid Resurrection squad before the Christmas break.The boys battled hard and were down 6 points at the end of the 3rd quarter. However,Resurrection proved to be too much and took the victory 56 to 38.

WRESTLINGBY MISS D. COSTA

The fourth tournament took place this past Friday, January 13th where the Saints fought hard tobring home some medals. Sarah Fournier, in her toughest battle yet, represented Benny's Saintswith a gold medal, while Kennedy Thompson was right behind with a silver medal.

CULTURE OF LIFELEADERSHIPCONFERENCE

2012Diocese of Hamilton

When: Friday, February 10, 2012Where: Nicholas Mancini Center, 44 Hunt Street,Hamilton

(behind the Cathedral of Christ the King)Format: A one day conference, beginning with a liturgyat 9:30 am and ending with mass, celebrated by BishopDouglas Crosby beginning at 2 pm.Cost: FREE! Includes the activities of the day and lunch

Guest Speakers:Scott Klusendorf: an abortion survivor who asks us toview this issue from the heart and with the future inmindFormer Students from Culture of Life Groups willshare their experiences with prolife involvement sinceleaving their school clubs

Congratulations to the girls who keep St. Benedict a force to be reckoned with.

YEARBOOKCLUBBY MR. J. CURTIS

All yearbook club members areasked to attend a very importantstaff meeting this Thursday, afterschool, in Room 216. We will bediscussing plans for the secondsemester and we need everyone toattend the meeting.

MADMOVEMENTMEETINGBY MRS. M. ROCHA

Are you passionate about pro­lifeissues? Did you attend the Marchfor Life in Ottawa last year? Do youwant to attend the March for Life inOttawa this year in May? If youanswered yes to any of thesequestions then you should attend ACulture of Life LeadershipConference on February 10th.

Information and permissionforms are on the MAD Bulletinboard on the 2nd floor or see Mrs.Rocha for more details. There arelimited spots available, so act fast!

ROBOTICS CLUBBY MRS. M. BOOTH

Robotics Club will meet in A3 to work on competition robots Friday after school. Be there if youaren't too busy with exam prep.

Student Activities

CHRISTMAS RECAPWelcome to a brand new year from student council. Just before the break our school had beentransformed with decorations to celebrate the Christmas season! There were lots of activitiesgoing on around the school to start Christmas celebrations. Some of the celebrations included:

A Christmas song trivia contest that Ms. Bewick’s homeroom class won.Classes spent time decorating their classroom doors with all kinds of creative Christmas décor.After much discussion and deliberation congratulations went to Mr. Bailey’s period 3 class forthe best door decoration (see included pictures) and an honourable mention went to Ms.

Fernandes’ period 4 class.Students wore red or green or ugly Christmas sweaterswith uniform bottoms on Wednesday, and enjoyedsome free cookies and milk available for all students atlunch.A special appearance by Santa for pictures.An action packed Christmas assembly Friday duringperiod 5. Mr. Vrabec’s class had front row VIP seats forthe assembly because they had won the Christmasaround the world trivia contest.

Thanks to all classes for participating in the festivitiesand Merry Christmas to all from student council!

SPIRIT DAYSWednesdays at St Benedict are known as spirit days.During these days students can wear sweaters and T­shirts that represent various clubs and teams and show school involvement and spirit. These topsare always worn with uniform bottoms. Once or twice a month there are special spirit days inwhich all students are invited to wear a different top to show their school spirit. For example justbefore Christmas students could "wear an ugly Christmas sweater" or red or green top onWednesday. Tops worn on these days must be school appropriate, or students will be asked tochange into complete uniform.

Today was a Harry Potter spirit day. Students were encouraged to wear the various coloursfor the houses in Harry Potter which are:Grade 9: Hufflepuff yellowGrade 10: Ravenclaw blueGrade 11: Slytherin greenGrade 12: Gryffindor red

Spiritwear for all students will be available from the SAC office in second semester—watchout for more details.

Other News

NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY

CPL LIBRARY STAFF

Poem­A­Day Poetry Contest call for submissions: The 6th annual Poem­A­Day Poetry Contest,sponsored by the Cambridge Libraries and the Cambridge Centre for the Arts, is open to poets ofall ages. Enter online at www.cambridgelibraries.ca from New Year's Day to Valentine's Day andcelebrate Poetry Month!

Printmaking and Design for teens! Saturdays, starting January 21st from 1:00 to 2:30 pm atClemens Mill Library: Create art with printmaking techniques taught by a professional artinstructor from Cambridge Galleries. Registration information online atwww.cambridgelibraries.ca or just ask at the library!

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, January 182:00pm Girls Hockey vs PHS2:30pm Fanime/Anime Club2:40pm Reach for the Top Practice2:45pm MAD Movement2:45pm Strategy Games Club2:45pm Healthier for Life Club meeting3:30pm Sr. Girls Volleyball vs Pere­Rene­de­Galinee3:30pm Jr. Girls Volleyball vs Pere­Rene­de­GalineeEQAO Grade 9 Math AssessmentGraduation photosBENN Newsletter out

Thursday, January 192:00pm Varsity Boys Hockey vs CHCI2:30pm Yearbook Club2:30pm DECA meeting6:30pm Grade 8 Parent Night6:30pm Cookies & Cram LINK eventGraduation photos

Friday, January 202:45pm Doctor Who Video Club7:00pm Junior drama class performance

Monday, January 232:30pm Camera Club2:40pm Math Club3:00pm Girls Hockey practice

Tuesday, January 246:00pm Badminton Club

Wednesday, January 252:30pm Fanime/Anime Club2:40pm Reach for the Top Practice2:45pm MAD Movement2:45pm Strategy Games Club

Thursday, January 267:00pm School Council meetingFinal evaluation days (attendance required)

Friday, February 33:00pm Girls Hockey practiceProfessional Activity DaySr. Boys Basketball @ 68th Annual Blackball Classic

Saturday, February 4Sr. Boys Basketball @ 68th Annual Blackball Classic

Monday, February 62:30pm Camera Club2:40pm Math Club3:30pm Sr. Girls Volleyball @ Monsignor Doyle3:30pm Jr. Girls Volleyball @ Monsignor Doyle3:30pm Jr. Boys Basketball vs Monsignor Doyle5:00pm Sr. Boys Basketball vs Monsignor DoyleStart of Semester 2

Tuesday, February 72:00pm Girls Hockey vs CHCI6:00pm Badminton Club

Wednesday, February 82:00pm Varsity Boys Hockey vs PHS2:30pm Fanime/Anime Club2:40pm Reach for the Top Practice2:45pm MAD Movement2:45pm Strategy Games Club3:30pm Sr. Girls Volleyball vs Rockway MC3:30pm Jr. Girls Volleyball vs Rockway MC4:00pm Jr. Boys Basketball @ Rockway MC4:00pm Sr. Boys Basketball @ Rockway MCBENN Newsletter out

DID YOU KNOW?There are now over 900 entries onour school calendar on thewebsite!

Check the calendar on the school website for moreinformation. New information is always being added,

Friday, January 27Final evaluation days (attendance required)

Monday, January 30Final evaluation days (attendance required)

Tuesday, January 31Final evaluation days (attendance required)

and more detailed information about upcoming eventscan be found there.

On the front page of our website, the calendardisplays what's coming up in the next week. If youwould like to see the full calendar, you can find itunder Benny's News Calendar of Events.

Miscellaneous

WE WANT TO KNOW...Thank you to those who have taken time to provide us with feedback. Your opinions areimportant to us! Please email us with your comments and suggestions. If you like our newsletter,tell others; if you don't like it, tell us!

Check out our school website at http://stbenedict.wcdsb.ca for news and information updates.

This newsletter is also available on the school website if you click here. You maywant to send this link to other parents rather than forward your email—doing somay alter the layout and generate the page incorrectly.